Matthew Macklin’s believes the underdog status he carries into the ring tonight in Germany against WBA world middleweight champion Felix Sturm will work in his favour against the home-town champion. Macklin believes his best performances come against the better fighters and puts it down to pre-fight nervousness heightening his reflexes and senses.
Macklin to Storm Sturm
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“I mean, I have always respected Felix – this is his third reign as world champion. Like you say, he’s beat some big names in the division. This is my first world title shot, so it’s only natural he’s going to be the favourite. But I’m twice European champion. I’ve beaten some good fighters. And to be honest, when I’ve had the best performances in my career is when I’m been in against the best fighters”.
“When I’m up against the bigger fighters I have nerves before a fight, but the nerves make me perform better. They make me sharper, my reflexes sharper. I react quicker to punches. I counter faster. And I even feel like I punch faster and harder. I think it just affects everything, and it makes me perform to the best of my ability. You can either rise to the occasion or you can drop your standards and sometimes drop to their level. And I think that when I know I have to be on my best, I lift my game”.
Punch-boxer and two times European Champion Macklin accepts that while anything is possible during his clash with Sturm at the 20,000 capacity Lanxess Arena in Cologne, the safest bet is that the fight will make it to the latter rounds.
“I think I punch hard enough that if I hit Felix clean on the chin in the first round, it could be over. But at the same time, he does have a good chin. He has a very good defence and so I do see it definitely going into the later part of the fight, but, you know, possibly, you know, over to points. It could be a 12-round fight. I’ve trained hard. I’m fit to go bell to bell for 12 rounds. So that’s not a problem, anyway”.
Birmingham born Macklin steps into the ring tonight with an extremely difficult assignment against the Leverkusen native who is currently enjoying his third stint as world middleweight champion but Macklin is not underestimating his own hard earned experience.
“I’m pretty experienced, as well. I’ve won the European title twice, won the Irish title, the British title, and I’ve fought some really good opponents along the way. And, yes, I’m just really looking forward to the fight now”.
